A new species of Contarinia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from flower galls on the relict tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) endemic to Crete (Greece)

Laurence Fazan*, Netta Dorchin, Sophie Giriens, Salvatore Pasta, Giuseppe Garfí, Ilektra Remoundou, Panos V. Petrakis, Gregor Kozlowski

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Contarinia ampelitsiae n. sp. Dorchin & Fazan is described as a newly discovered gall-midge species (Diptera: Cecidoymiidae) forming galls in flowers of Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae), a tree species endemic to the Mediterranean island of Crete (Greece). Larvae develop within modified filaments of male flowers, contrary to many Contarinia species that develop freely in flowers or in simple flower galls. The species has one generation per year, and its galls are sometimes found in great numbers on individual trees, thus affecting both fruit quantity and weight. This is the first report of a gall midge from Zelkova and the first record of Contarinia from Ulmaceae. Based on its host-plant association and on the barcoding section of the mtCOI gene, this species has no obvious relatives within Contarinia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)257-268
Number of pages12
JournalZootaxa
Volume5301
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Funding

FundersFunder number
Fondation Franklinia
Fotis Samaritakis
Herbarium of the University of Montpellier 2
Natural History Museum of Fribourg
Tel Aviv University
Université de Fribourg

    Keywords

    • Cecidomyiini
    • Mediterranean
    • gall midge
    • stamen filaments

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'A new species of Contarinia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from flower galls on the relict tree Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) endemic to Crete (Greece)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this